Montreal Habs Tweetup: A New Venue & Exciting Prizes!

by Amy, Habs Tweetup (AllHabs.net)

MONTREAL, QC--Social media websites like Twitter can be very useful for busy Habs fans like Stuart Ashton whose days are jam-packed with activity. "I often miss the hockey games due to work, family, commuting, etc., but I find that I am able to keep involved in the game through the people I follow on Twitter."

Stuart considers All Habs to be one of his premiere resources for keeping up with news regarding his favourite hometown hockey team. Not long after he started following @All_Habs Stuart began reading about Habs Tweetups happening all over Canada & the US and says he instantly knew that he wanted to join in the fun. "I thought to myself, 'Damn I'd love to tweet-it-up with these people!'"

Well that wish is about to come true on Thursday, November 18th when the Habs take on the Predators! Did I mention that Stuart also runs O'Hara's Pub in downtown Montreal? And it's the site of our next Habs Tweetup!

Located on Rue University, O'Hara's is described as "a public house in the true sense of the term" and offers daily food and drink specials in a welcoming pub atmosphere. "There's nothing pretentious about us...just good food, good beer and always good conversation."

Stuart believes his bar and restaurant is a prime location to watch a Habs game, with a staff and regular patrons dedicated to providing a fun and inviting environment. "O'hara's is a great place to watch the game because we've got great TVs and sound and some die-hard Habs fans as regulars. We've also got a couple Nordiques or Bruins or ABC (Anything But the Canadiens) fans which adds to the good banter!

"Simply put, we take pride in what we do, we love what we do, we try to do it well and we do not pretend to be something we're not."

Adding to the coziness of the pub, Stuart appeals to Habs fans with some special decorative elements. The walls of O'Hara's boast large photographs from the 1953 Stanley Cup championship game, as well as dressing room shots of Jean Beliveau, Rocket Richard and Boom Boom Geoffrion. The pictures are blown up from original negatives he discovered in his father's photo collection.

Of course what would a Montreal Habs Tweetup be without some prizes and giveaways?! Well Stuart and the team at O'Hara's are rolling out the red carpet so-to-speak in honour of this event. Here's some of the "extras" you can expect to find:

• Happy Hour all night - Deals on 3 litre "Beer Towers" of Bud Light
  
  
• Purchase a "Beer Tower" of Bud Light and enter to win 2 tickets in the REDS for the November 24th Habs game against the Kings!
  
  
• Trivia with Livia - Come early for pub trivia before the game with Livia, one of O'Hara's "crazy intelligent, crazy Habs fan" bartenders - the winning team gets a free round of drinks!
  
  
• Livia will also be back for more trivia during intermissions with gift certificates up for grabs!

The night promises to be another unforgettable Habs Tweetup event - you don't want to miss it! Click on the "RSVP for a Habs Tweetup" tab at the top of the page to reserve your spot today - we'll see you there!

O'Hara's Pub
1197 rue University
514-390-8881

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Habs Tweetup in Buffalo: Beach Party!

by Amy, Habs Tweetup (AllHabs.net)

PHILADELPHIA, PA -- OK, so maybe it's not a "traditional" beach party - but there's sand involved, so that counts right? On Friday, November 5th our beloved Habs will travel to Buffalo to take on the Sabres and Habs Tweetup will be holding its inaugural western New York event!

Habs fans from Buffalo, the greater Toronto area and even northern Pennsylvania will not want to miss out on this party Holidays Sports Bar in Western Seneca (just outside of Buffalo). Locals boast it's a great place to watch hockey, or any sporting event. There are plenty of flatscreen HDTVs placed all throughout the bar, the best one being the 14' HD projection TV.

What locals, you ask? Our friend Joe (aka @habbyween) who is also hosting the event! In fact, we consider Joe an expert on how great the Holidays Sports Bar venue is - he works there! At Holidays, Joe does many things from cooking to bartending - even running the bar altogether when the owner (his best friend) isn't there.

Joe first heard of the Habs Tweetup movement through Twitter. He was curious as to what it was all about and, after checking out our website, decided these gatherings "Looked like a blast!!!" Joe immediately decided he wanted to bring a Habs Tweetup to Buffalo. "I think the idea of Habs Tweetup is one of the best ones I've ever heard! Habs fans are everywhere!

"I am most looking forward to meeting some Twitter friends and being able to hang out and watch a Habs game with Habs fans. Growing up in Buffalo, only 3 of my friends are Habs fans, who will be joining us. So it would be fantastic to watch a game with others. I was only able to cheer with Habs fans once, and that was in '96 at The Forum."

He adds, "Sabres fans really get into the game and love their team with a passion. I'm hoping it will be a great start to a friendly rivalry."

We asked Joe what else Habs Tweetup patrons can expect when they come out on Novemeber 5th: "During the game, we will be eating pizza and wings. Everyone HAS to have wings when they come to the 'Home of the Wing'. Later on that night, I have rented the heated indoor sand volleyball courts for us to play volleyball, Kan-Jam, or any other games people would like." There will also be a live band playing in the bar after the Habs game is over. Sounds like a beach party to me!!

So mark your calendars, gas up your cars, program your GPS devices and get yourself and your friends to the first-ever Buffalo Habs Tweetup on November 5th. We know Joe is excited about it - and you should be too! Just be sure to click the "RSVP for a Habs Tweetup" tab at the top of the page to reserve your spot!

Holidays Sports Bar
935 Harlem Road
West Seneca, NY
716-824-8812

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New Habs Tweetup Photo Galleries

by Amy, Habs Tweetup (AllHabs.net)

PHILADELPHIA, PA -- Has it really been over a week since our first Habs Tweetups of the season? I don't know about you, but I'm already looking forward to our next gathering! Games just aren't as fun to watch when you're not surrounded by dozens of friends all cheering together!

To commemorate such a successful opening weekend, and to help us remember all the fun we had, be sure to check out the Habs Tweetup photo galleries posted in the "Multimedia" tab at the top of the page! We've got photos posted from our New York City and Toronto events, as well as the newly posted Montreal pictures.

Also, if you attended ANY of last weekend's Hab Tweetup events and have your own photos you'd like to share - hop on over to We Are Canadiens, the official All Habs Network fan photo gallery. You'll find albums already created for Habs Tweetups and we welcome you to upload and add your own pics to them!

Didn't make it out to one of last week's events? I'm sure just by browsing through the galleries and seeing all the excitement, you'll want to make sure you don't miss the next one! We already have Habs Tweetups planned in Buffalo and Toronto in the next few weeks, with more locations in the works. Just click on the "RSVP for a Habs Tweetup" tab at the top of the page to reserve your spot. Hope to see you there!

Photo credits for the Oct. 9th Montreal gallery: @FlyersRule, @All_Habs, and @PabloJinko

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Habs Tweetup in Montreal: Hockey Season Has Arrived!

by Amy, Habs Tweetup (AllHabs.net)

MONTREAL, QC -- It's Saturday night, around 6:00 PM, and already Ye Olde Orchard is filling up with plenty of patrons adorned in bleu, blanc et rouge. The countdown to puck drop for the second Habs game of the season is underway and a sense of anticipation hangs in the air. On one side of the room, a group of fans begin to gather - warmly greeting old friends, shaking hands and meeting new, smiling faces and affixing "Hi, my name is..." stickers to their Canadiens shirts and jerseys. Ahhh yes, another Habs Tweetup is underway!

About thirty tried and true Habs fans gathered together in front of Ye Olde's large projection television screen to eat, drink, laugh and cheer on their favourite team - and did so loudly enough to help the Habs land their first win of the season. (And yes, it was TOTALLY our cheering that helped them win. Totally.) Many thanks go out to Joe, Ye Olde Orchard's Manager of Operations and bartender extraordinaire, for accomodating our group and reserving such prime seats for our event!!

Many familiar faces were in the crowd - but I was also thrilled to see many new faces in attendance too! It's sometimes intimidating to "take the plunge" and head out to meet up with a slew of people you've only ever talked to online, but after you do it once - you simply can't wait for the next event! I was glad to see all of the newcomers enjoying themselves and everyone spending lots of time chatting and getting to know one another.

The trivia challenge during the first intermission, an activity which is quickly growing into a Habs Tweetup tradition, quizzed everyone about the Habs and Penguins and the newly built Consol Energy Center. As usual, trivia guru Rick (aka @All_Habs) came up with some very interesting (and hard to guess!) questions which had many people stumped. (Thankfully points are also awarded for creativity!) Lots of people went home with some fantastic prizes donated by Rick, @HabItHerWay and @Celia83 - many thanks to all who participated in the challenge and who donated prizes!!

I would be remiss if I didn't mention our honorary guest from Vancouver - during the second intermission I logged onto Skype to video chat with @chile_pepper (which is also becoming a bit of a tradition when I come to town!) and passed my laptop around to everyone there to say hi to our friend from the west. Well, we said hi to HER but she had to resort to sign language to communicate back with us - my poor little laptop speakers were no match for the sound system in YOO!

There was a lot of really fun energy in the crowd at Ye Olde Orchard that night - many of us stayed well after the game was over to keep the party going and to talk about what happened in the game, possibilities of future Habs Tweetups (like I said, one is never enough!) and to simply hang out together OFFLINE. Even though we were still tweeting like crazy (old habits die hard, y'know).

Thank you to Rick for organizing another memorable Montreal Habs Tweetup - and thank you to everyone who came out that night. I, for one, had a fantastic time - always feel so welcomed when I travel to Montreal - and I can't wait to go back :)

Now what are you waiting for? Go click on the RSVP For a Habstweetup tab at the top of the page and get yourself signed up for another one! See you there!

Habs Tweetup in Montreal Quiz

Prize Winners:

Pablo (@pablojinko) -- Jewelry
Erin (@E_84) -- Jewelry
Kyle (@kyleroussel) -- All Habs t-shirt
Erica (@Habitherway) -- Carey Price autograph
Korina (@kptome) -- Montreal Canadiens poster
Gary (@thefranchiseca) -- Canadiens travel mug
Joanna (@flirtyjo) -- Canadiens tote bag
Mike (@habslaughs) -- Mini jersey

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Habs Tweetup in Toronto - Habs Fans Represent!

by Michael, HabsTweetup (AllHabs.net)

TORONTO, ON -- If you're a Habs fan in the GTA and you missed out on the HabsTweetup that took place last Thursday for the Leafs/Habs season opener… what were you thinking?! Ok, ok… maybe some of you were lucky enough to have actually scored tickets to the game at the ACC (ahem, ahem, @DBlyeHabs365) - but for those who didn't, I ask again… what were you thinking?!

Chalk up yet another successful HabsTweetup in Toronto, as we kicked off the 2010-2011 NHL season with tons of Habs fans coming together (some meeting for the first time) and showing their support for the Bleu, Blanc, et Rouge at Hoops Sports Bar (125 Bremner Blvd.) Prime location, directly across from the ACC!

Pockets of red were seen amidst the sea of blue, yet those pockets were actually LOUDER than the Leafs fans at Hoops that night. Represent! Sure, the Leafs got lucky and managed to take the opener by a margin of 3-2, but for those 24 who attended (both Leafs and Habs fans) - the night was spectacular. A night to remember for sure.

I'd like to give a special thanks to Gabby - one of the managers at Hoops who worked with me on organizing this event for the past month. To score a decent location for a group of about 25 on opening night in Toronto vs the Habs was definitely a task and a half. RealSports (recently voted number one sports bar in North America by ESPN) was fully booked with corporate parties. Gretzky's (where I've held past events before) wasn't taking reservations that night and unfortunately couldn't accommodate my group. St. Louis Bar and Grill was in the same boat. But Hoops pulled through, with the only stipulation being that my seats would be ready at 7pm, as opposed to 630pm, because at that point many would probably be making their way to the ACC for the game.

I got there with @Elysia3G about 10mins past 7p as we were stuck in crazy downtown Tdot traffic, while I fielded my bbm's and txt mgs regarding my whereabouts. As I arrived, I was ecstatic to see an entire "Upper Deck" section reserved for the HabsTweetup! Many familiar faces, and some new ones too. @shlippy, @tempz14, @jfurlong23 are 3 of my coworkers who madly support those, umm, Leafs. But Jeff (@jfurlong23) said it best that night… he stated how much of a diehard Leafs fan he is but compared to "kuyaz" and his Habs, he's not even 1/10th of the fan I am… bahahahaha! Awesome. Let's not forget my other coworker with them, @moshy40 who I convinced last year to join team Habs after showing her a pic of Maxim Lapierre (haha). Ah yes, hence why she has a number 40 on her ballcap!

My very good friend and first ever person I met on twitter @Nock4Six was in the house too! She's a Leafs AND a Habs fan. How? I have no idea… very, very, rare but she, as many of you may know, is awesome-awesome-awesome. Maybe I should take away one of those "awesomes" because she decided she'd cheer for the blue that night! Along with her were @naelshawwa (neutral) and @shrued (Leafs). Habs fans, it's time to get @naelshawwa onboard the REAL team's side! One of the booths along the side (see pics) had an even 50/50 fan split. @HabsFan1980 (great seeing you again!) and @phjoshua (amazing meeting you!) occupied the left (Team Habs) and my good friend @clickflickca (social media guru and creator of #ICE - interact, communicate, engage) and @walkerlucas (awesome meeting you too!) occupied the right… aka, Team, umm… yeah. ;)

Just in time for puckdrop… and who walks in? OMG it's the one and only, @tabithalavoie! Habs fans were pumped that another smart fan has joined the crew! I had the pleasure of meeting Tabitha during the Habs-Flyers playoff series last year when @amanada11 was in town and we, along with @dohRG decided to hit up St. Louis on Bay St. to represent our boys. Now do you see why I love Twitter and Habs Tweetups? Yes, I know I can be a social butterfly sometimes, especially after a few pints of my @mooseheadlager - but still, if you haven't had the chance to attend one yet, we suggest you get on that - asap. It's an amazing experience, and you will create friendships that will last a lifetime.

And while I'm on the topic, book it now Toronto Habs fans… next HabsTweetup in the GTA is on Nov. 20 (vs Leafs) at our very own Habs-friendly bar, Kilgour's on Bloor Street! (RSVP for it by clicking HERE)

Shortly thereafter, (as he went from table to table targeting Habs jerseys and asking if they were part of the HabsTweetup) @eastonj finally scored as he stepped onto the Upper Deck to join the festivities! What a super friendly fella. It was great meeting you Jay. Looking forward to seeing you at Kilgour's! Sorry I didn't get to my DMs that night!

Many thanks go out to @All_Habs and @FlyersRule - without them, HabsTweetups wouldn't be possible. Merci to Rick for sending me an All Habs t-shirt to use as a prize giveaway. We drew for the tee during 2nd intermission and had our waitress (in a Leafs jersey but excellent service may I add) pick the winning Twitter name. Thank goodness it wasn't a Leafs fan! Big congrats to @phjoshua, proud owner of a brand new All Habs t-shirt!

Finally, the grand master himself showed face, all decked in his Habs paraphernalia. Don't mess… he has arrived: *drum roll please…* @NastyKnate was in the house from Waterloo! It was awesome meeting you Nate! Hoping to see you again at future HabsTweetups!

Oh, oh, oh… hold up. Did I mention how many times @Elysia3G and @HabsFan1980 schooled some Leafs fans on the patio during all the rounds of trash-talkin'? Those Leafers were speechless. No match. I'd love to post about what was said but this is a PG-rated platform. How about we save it for later and you can all witness in person at our next event? Good job ladies!

Well, there you have it. I'm sorry, but I do tend to ramble when I post about things that get my blood flowing. One word everyone… HABULOUS. Looking forward to having more of you attend a HabsTweetup near you!

Go Habs Go!

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New York City Hosts Its Debut Habs Tweetup

by Chris, Habs Tweetup, AllHabs.net

NEW YORK, NY -- What a way to kick off Habs Tweetups in New York City! We met at New York's top hockey bar, the Blue Moon Cafe, at the corner of 1st Ave and 75 Street in Manhattan. Can't stress enough how great this place is for watching hockey (read my full review of this venue, "Habs in NYC: Blue Moon Cafe").

Carlos, the owner, was there to welcome us and watched the game throughout the night. There was a Yankees playoff game going on and yet there were three screens with the Habs game and a couple with the Flyers! It's usually like pulling teeth getting a NYC bar to have hockey on while the Yankees are playing a regular season game; it's truly outstanding that the Blue Moon Cafe would be so hockey friendly.

Initially there were three of us: Bella, Guy, and me. Can't say enough about those two; they are just fantastic. Not only were they a pleasure to be with but I learned tons. My mom is an anglophone from Montreal and it was fascinating getting a francophone perspective on the city. We talked about Quebec history society, Habs players, interesting team info, art, languages, hockey in general, Habs twitterers. I handed them Habs trivia questions, which were probably on the easy side for such die-hard fans. Guy was amazing and more than deserved the very cool All Habs t-shirt he won.

About half way through the first period, more Habs fans joined us. I approached a couple with matching Habs shirts to introduce myself. Out of the blue, the guy says, "Are you Chris?" They had googled "NYC bars, Habs" to find out where to go for the game. Fortunately, they found my blog post from last year about the Blue Moon Cafe (see link above for "Habs in NYC: Blue Moon Cafe") and turned up without even knowing the Habs Tweetup was taking place! We quickly invited them to join our group.



I am very optimistic that New York Habstweetups will snowball. I couldn't ask for a better group of people to start the movement! Only two ways the night could have improved: 1) We could have had four extra hours to just talk, get to know each other; 2) Habs would have won. Habs will be winning a lot this season so #2 will be solved soon!

To see photos from this and other Habs Tweetups, click the Multimedia tab at the top of the page.

To RSVP for a future Habs Tweetup, click the RSVP for a Habs Tweetup tab.

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Habs Tweetup in Montreal: Is It October 9th Yet?

by Amy, Habs Tweetup, AllHabs.net

PHILADELPHIA, PA--I know, I know - the saying we're most familiar with sounds more like "Is it October yet?", but that's been done a gazillion times, right? Don't get me wrong, I'm VERY excited for that fast-approaching Thursday night when the Habs and Leafs face off in their very first regular season game of the year.

However, I'm even MORE excited to watch the Habs take on the Penguins just two nights later on October 9th - why, you ask? Because that's the night of the first Habs Tweetup in Montreal! (and yes, I'm traveling from Philadelphia to be there for it!) Join us at our tried and true gathering place Ye Olde Orchard (just one block from the Bell Centre) for an evening of good fun, food and friends!

Here's a couple of things to keep in mind for this exciting event:

1. RSVP, RSVP, RSVP!
2. Arrive early - FREE appetizers will be served at 5:30 pm. Don't miss out!
3. Wear your Habs gear! Show your team spirit and break out your best in bleu, blanc et rouge.
4. Did I mention you should RSVP?
5. Watching the Habs game isn't the only activity of the evening...we've also got games and giveaways lined up too!

It promises to be an exciting evening, so be sure to RSVP today. Simply click on the "RSVP for a Habs Tweetup" tab above and choose YES, or choose MAYBE if you're not quite sure if you can make it. (Please note it's very important for planning purposes that we get an accurate head count of attendees, so get those RSVPs in early!)
Now I know that some of you out there have never been to a Habs Tweetup and might be a bit unsure if you want to come out for one. Well if you like the Habs, if you like to have fun, and if you want to meet other people just like you, then a Habs Tweetup is just the thing! Feel free to contact any of our contributors for more information on what these events are all about.

If you have questions you can email Rick, our Montreal Event Coordinator, for more details! You can also catch up with him via his Twitter name @All_Habs.

Don't wait another minute - get your RSVP in today and mark your calendar! We'll see you there!

Ye Olde Orchard

1189 de la Montagne

Montreal, QC

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Season Opener Habs Tweetup - New York City!

by Chris Brown, Habs Tweetup, AllHabs.net

NEW YORK, NY -- To launch the season, New York area Habs fans are gathering at Manhattan's Blue Moon Cafe on Thursday 7 October to represent the bleu, blanc et rouge open their 2010 season against the Leafs!

If you have ever felt like you're the only Habs fan in your office and neighborhood, join us at the Blue Moon Cafe to see that you are not alone! We have a fantastic group in NYC and this will be a great opportunity for us all to get to know each other. There will also be Habs fans traveling from Montreal in attendance AND we are even hoping to lure some Rangers, Devils, and Islanders fans to join us for the fun. It's going to be a great party, so pass the word!

The Blue Moon Cafe is THE place to watch hockey in Manhattan (besides MSG, of course). The owners and staff bend over backwards to make hockey fans feel at home. Nowhere else in New York can you find a bar with all of the tv's tuned to hockey when the Yankees are playing! Check out my review of this fine establishment from last season: "Habs in NYC: Blue Moon Cafe"

Also, we will be having a t-shirt giveaway at the Blue Moon Cafe that night! Watch this space for more details. First, though, be sure to RSVP today! Simply click on the "RSVP for a Habs Tweetup" tab above and choose YES (or choose MAYBE if you're not quite sure if you can make it).

We especially welcome everyone who has never been to a Habs Tweetup. Are you wondering what exactly goes on or you have questions? Feel free to email me (the New York Event Coordinator) at chrisr@allhabs.net. You can also catch up with me and get the latest details on Twitter where my name is @chrisrbrown. We will be planning several Habs Tweetups throughout the season!

See you there!

Blue Moon Mexican Cafe
1444 1st Avenue - Corner of 75th Street
New York, New York 10012
Blue Moon Cafe Facebook Page

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Habs Tweetup Season Opener in Toronto

by Amy, Habs Tweetup, AllHabs.net

PHILADELPHIA, PA--Alright Habs fans in Tdot - it's time to represent the bleu, blanc et rouge and show all those Leafs fans which team REALLY has the best fans in hockey! We're all eagerly waiting for the arrival of the first regular season hockey game...and what makes it even better? The Habs face off against the Leafs!

You don't want to miss out on a chance to watch this game at a premiere sports bar in downtown Toronto - with dozens of other Habs fans! That's right, we know that the GTA is harbouring plenty of Habs supporters and we want to see all of you at Hoops Sports Bar (Bremner Blvd.) on October 7th. Talk about feeling like you're at the game - you'll be able to watch on one of nearly 150 television sets! It promises to be an exciting evening, so be sure to RSVP today. Simply click on the "RSVP for a Habs Tweetup" tab above and choose YES (or choose MAYBE if you're not quite sure if you can make it).

What's that? You say you've never been to a Habs Tweetup? Not sure if it's for you? Well if you like the Habs, if you like to have fun, and if you want to meet other people just like you then a Habs Tweetup is just the thing for you! Feel free to contact any of our contributors for more information on what these events are all about.

If you have questions about the Toronto Habs Tweetup you can email Michael, our Toronto Event Coordinator, for more details! You can also catch up with him via his Twitter name @kuyaz.

So don't wait another minute - get your RSVP in today and then mark your calendar for the first Habs Tweetup of the 2010-2011 season! We'll see you there!

Hoops Sports Bar & Grill
125 Bremner Boulevard
Toronto

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Habs Tweetup Season Opener in Vancouver

by Amy, HabsTweetup, AllHabs.net

PHILADELPHIA, PA--Calling all Vancouver Habs fans! What are you doing on Thursday, October 7th? Oh come on, you don't need to check your calendar...it's the Habs season opener against the Leafs! So now the question is WHERE will you watch it? Well don't just stay home and cheer the bleu, blanc et rouge by yourself when you can join other Vancouver Habs fans just like you at Lions Pub!

Click on the RSVP for a Habs Tweetup tab above and choose YES to attend - you don't want to miss out on this event! Habs fans are everywhere and Vancouver has no shortage of them. Habs fans are also some of the most friendly fans around and there's no better way to watch a game than with a group of them! And don't worry if you've never met anyone else who's going - a Habs Tweetup is the perfect way to meet a wonderful new group of friends in your hometown who you already have something in common with!

Email Veronica, our Vancouver Event Coordinator, with any questions about the event (or catch up with her via her Twitter name @chile_pepper).

So don't wait another minute - get your RSVP in today (even if you have to say MAYBE for now) and then mark your calendar for the first Habs Tweetup of the 2010-2011 season! We'll see you there!

Lion's Pub
888 West Cordova Street
Vancouver

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Kick Off Hockey Season HabsTweetup Style

by Flyers Rule, Habs Tweetup / AllHabs.net

PHILADELPHIA, PA -- Is it October yet? It's a phrase we've heard over and over again ever since the 2009-2010 hockey season ended. Every day, hockey fans worldwide have lamented the absence of their favorite sport and have looked forward to that marvelous autumn day when a new season would begin.

Well the wait is almost over! In just a couple of short weeks players will return to the ice for pre-season camps, practices and exhibition games. And before you know it, October 7th will be upon us...the day of the Habs season opener against the Leafs!

Does the anticipation have you feeling like a youngster anxiously and eagerly awaiting the arrival of Christmas morning? Well why not add one more item to your list of things you're looking forward to? There's no better way to usher in the start of a new season than by sharing the experience with fellow Habs fans at a Habs Tweetup!

It's so easy to join in on the fun - simply click on the "RSVP to a Habs Tweetup" link at the top of the page. Scroll through the list of events and choose one (or more!) which you'd like to attend and click YES. Currently there are listings in Vancouver, Toronto, New York City and Montreal for opening weekend. You'll be added to the list of attendees and be able to see who else plans to be there. See someone you're not following on Twitter? It's the perfect time to introduce yourself and get to know them before the Habs Tweetup!

Please remember, your RSVP is very important. It's really not just a formality - it's a vital part of the planning process for our event coordinators. Many venues need to know an exact headcount in advance to set aside enough seating. Other times, there are occasional activities, giveaways and prizes at a Habs Tweetup and organizers need to have plenty of supplies on hand for everyone attending.

Keep in mind, there’s a 'MAYBE' option on the Twtvite RSVP pages – if you’re even thinking about going, be sure to select 'MAYBE' (you can always go back to change it to YES or NO later). Our planners and coordinators thank you in advance for helping make these events a success!

(NOTE: All RSVPs for the October 7th Habs Tweetup in Toronto must be submitted by September 19th.)

If you don't see a Habs Tweetup listed for your hometown on the Twtvite page, don't worry! It's not too late to bring a season opener event to YOUR city/town/neighbourhood – just click on the "Host a Habs Tweetup" tab at the top of the page for more information. We're here to help!

Have questions? Suggestions? Ideas? Feedback? We've got plenty of resources available to you! Email us at habstweetup@gmail.com or contact us via Twitter:

• @habstweetup
• @All_Habs
• @FlyersRule
• @chile_pepper (Vancouver)
• @kuyaz (Toronto)
• @chrisrbrown (greater New York City area)

In addition, be sure to check out the Habs Tweetup thread on The Montreal Forum discussion board - it's called "Meet Habs Fans". It's the perfect place to chat about upcoming events, coordinate plans with friends, and find out more about these popular gatherings. Keep the conversation going in any of the current posts or start a new one of your own!

So get out your calendars and start making plans for a Habs Tweetup - it promises to be a fun and exciting season. See you there!

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Habs Tweetup at the Forum

by Flyers Rule, Habs Tweetup

PHILADELPHIA, PA -- That's right folks, you read that correctly - Habs Tweetup at the Montreal Forum! OK, so maybe I'm talking about our Habs Tweetup section in the newly "renovated" Montreal Forum discussion board - but STILL! It's exciting!

In case you haven't heard, The Montreal Forum discussion board has been rejuvenated! If you've ever found yourself wanting to have conversations with other Habs fans that are longer than 140 characters, then The Montreal Forum (another component in the All Habs network) is the solution you've been looking for. Be sure to read the All Habs article entitled The Montreal Forum Re-Opens - you'll find lots of information there on what the discussion board is all about and how you can become a part of it!

Habs Tweetup also has a "home" on the Forum - you can chat with friends from all over the world about your experiences at HabsTweetups, plans you'd like to make for upcoming events and more, just by clicking on the Meet Habs Fans category. There's lots to explore, so register today and we'll see you at the Forum!

photo credit: RJ Stephens

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HabsTweetup in Connecticut

by Flyers Rule, Habs Tweetup


PHILADELPHIA, PA -- Who says you need a hockey game in order to have a HabsTweetup? Habs fans will use any reason to gather together...even in the offseason! In fact recently, two Twitter friends asked All Habs to set up a HabsTweetup simply for them to meet and hang out!

@kuyaz and @smalrus represented the Habs faithful at their very own HabsTweetup held in Connecticut in mid-July, when @kuyaz was in town from Toronto. From what we've heard, they shared a few cold beverages and hit the jackpot with all-you-can-eat wing night at McLaddens in West Hartford Center.

It just goes to prove that whether there are 2 or 52 people in attendance, a HabsTweetup provides the perfect opportunity for tweeps to meet, mix and mingle! In this case, a Twitter friendship that was forged months ago was further solidified by having the opportunity to finally meet each other in person for a memorable evening. (@smalrus tweeted that "I've been deemed by @kuyaz as worthy enough for him to come for a Montreal #habstweetup!")

And when you think about it, there is an incredible "multiplier effect" to consider - even though @kuyaz and @smalrus where the only two people actually enjoying wings and beer at McLaddens, hundreds of people were also there in virtual form, as tweets between the two and their followers carried on throughout the evening. We've even had the opportunity in the past to use technology to its fullest potential and expand the reach of the HabsTweetup to distant places...Skype is a perfect way to have far-off friends join the party if they can't physically be there!

So where will the next HabsTweetup turn up? It could be in a city near you! In fact, a number of HabsTweetups are already scheduled for the start of the upcoming hockey season...click on the RSVP for a HabsTweetup tab at the top of the page to reserve your seat. Don't see one in your area? Click on the Host a Habs Tweetup tab to find out how to host one!

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2nd Annual NHL Amateur Draft HabsTweetup

by Flyers Rule, Habs Tweetup

PHILADELPHIA, PA -- It's a weekend still talked about today - people fondly reminiscing about the good times they had and the friends they met at the 1st Annual NHL Amateur Draft Habstweetup in Montreal. Well this year the draft may have moved on to a different city, but that wouldn't stop the fun-loving folks in Montreal from resurrecting another Draft Habstweetup!

For me, it was the anniversary of my first-ever trip to Canada so of course I had to make the return trip again...the drive is definitely worth attending any HabsTweetup! The venue was our reliable meeting spot: Ye Olde Orchard...with perfect seats for viewing the draft coverage on the main room's projector screen TV. It was a great mix of people from the first Draft Habstweetup together again, joined by a few folks who had recently discovered Habstweetups, as well as some friendly new faces. I was also pleasantly surprised to see that Gary Whittaker and Nick Murdocco (hosts of The Franchise on the Team990) had stopped by to find out what the HabsTweetup craze was all about!

Friendly debate and conversation ensued as everyone filled out an informal poll to determine who they believed the Canadiens would select as their 1st Round pick (27th overall). Possibilities for whom the Habs should sign as a backup for Carey Price were also discussed as free agency loomed right around the corner. Later, attendees competed against each other to answer as many questions correctly as they could in the All Habs Draft Trivia Challenge. Congratulations to @kyleroussel and @theactivestick who tied for first place! Prizes were awarded to them, as well as the second and third place runners-up (@EP31 and @HabItHerWay). There was even a prize for "creative answers" which went to @metricjulie!

Of course all of this was happening in and around the main event - the 1st Round of the NHL Amateur Draft! It was an evening filled with some predictable choices along with some unexpected moves (see the corresponding article on the All Habs site by clicking HERE). Overall it provided some interesting conversation and speculation regarding the upcoming season. Another fantastic HabsTweetup in the books! If you weren't there, you missed out for sure - but you can still check out the night's photos (and many more) by clicking HERE!

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One Montreal Weekend in March / Ode to a Habs Tweetup

by chile_pepper, HabsTweetup.com


VANCOUVER, BC -- Hi there, my name is Veronica and I am a Habs fan of the only variety of Habs fan there is: die-hard. Have been since I can remember. Many of you know me on Twitter as @chile_pepper and about 50 of you I've MET/met, for real. And it was all thanks to a magical event known as a Habs Tweetup.


Also, if you know me, you know that I talk, A LOT, and you may also know that I recently started blogging. Okay, so if you either know me 'IRL' or have read any of my blog posts, you know that I am verbose and veer in different directions. I will try to keep this as succinct as possible, but with the primary focus here being my love for my 'tweeps', I can't make any promises that it'll be short but I can promise that the love for the tweeps is a straight road, no exits. Meaning, I'll remain focussed.


It all started a long, long time ago in a little hospital in Santiago, Chile. JUST KIDDING. It all started a little over a year ago, on a little social networking site called Twitter. I joined Twitter at the urging of a friend, but looked at it once and left it for about 6 months. Didn't get it.

Then I looked at it again, and I still remember this, even though it was over 25,000 tweets ago: I was watching a Habs game (I watch every single game thanks to the RDS channel), and I tweeted (something like) 'I love watching the Habs on RDS, because there's no mistaking who they're rooting for.' Then I got my very first @ reply, EVER. It was from Mr. @All_Habs himself, asking what I thought about RDS's obtuseness and lack of objectivity (or something like that). Then he followed me. And I thought, I'm having a conversation! I'm in a Twitter relationship! Whee!


And that was it. Day after day, after tweeting the word 'Habs', I was gaining & following tens upon tens then hundreds of fantastic, fabulous, wonderful, beautiful, shiny, delightful, amazing people who were HABS FANS. Habs fans, yo!! After living in Vancouver for years and only having my brothers to talk to about my beloved team, all of a sudden, there were HUNDREDS of people who loved les glorieux as much as I. They were from all over the country too - concentrated mainly in Montreal of course, but there were tweeps in the Maritimes, Ontario, the prairies, and even, yes, B.C. Even the U.S.!


We had a great time 'getting to know' each other during last year's off-season. And we had A LOT to talk about. Naming a coach. And who could forget the 'smurfs'? Then the season began, and I was watching the games 'with' everyone on Twitter. Swoon with love.


One morning in January, I decided to treat myself to a Montreal getaway. First to-do: see when I could possibly manage that - it had to be before April because, let's face it - a lot of us were worried we wouldn't be making the playoffs. Found a Friday I could easily take off in March, then spend a whirlwind weekend in Montreal.

Here's how single moms do it: get my mother to keep that weekend free to spend it with my kids. Book an Air Canada flight on points. Book a room at very nice hotel downtown, also on points.

Then, the last order of business: send an e-mail to my friend @All_Habs saying: What are the chances of a Habs tweetup in Montreal when I go there in March? His response, bless his HEART, was: "100%." And he and the All_Habs team proceeded to organize an event that would surpass my wildest expectations - by a million miles.


My flight landed in Montreal the evening of Friday, March 19th. I was met at the airport by @All_Habs (I didn't even know what he actually looked like, by the way - on Twitter his avatar is simply the All Habs logo!!), @metricjulie and @kyleroussel. You have no idea how touched I was - 3 people whom I'd never met in person met me at the AIRPORT. In MONTREAL. During rush hour. Unbelievable.

The hospitality simply blew me away. And I was thrilled they were each exactly as I'd imagined they would be. @All_Habs has a dry wit, and sober, measured thoughts. His is the voice of reason. Julie is kind, funny and smart, a girl involved in the man's world of sports radio - no easy task. She's amazing. Kyle has a punchline for everything, and had a funny story of watching the Canada/USA gold medal hockey game in Central America. The 4 of us went to wait out the rush hour and get a couple of drinks at some fine establishment near the airport. It was like we already knew each other! And I guess we already did.



Next, off to downtown Montreal to get checked in to the hotel & go meet the fabulous @amanada11 for dinner at l'Académie on Crescent. Again, like meeting an old friend - she even brought wine, and a little gift - you guys, can you even imagine? Our conversation picked up from many mini-Twitter conversations we'd previously had. And she was exactly like I knew she would be: sweet, thoughtful, and intelligent. Guys: she's a doctor!! @Sabotek joined us there, and I hadn't engaged as much with her on Twitter before meeting her, and oh, is she FUNNY. Had me cracking up.



We left from dinner to meet @Sabotek's sister, @Sam_Cat, equally as funny as her big sis, and @Jump4Jay, whom I hadn't had the pleasure of previously meeting on Twitter. When he agreed with me that neither Timmy Ho's nor Starbucks could make as good a cup of coffee as good ol' homemade French-pressed, I was sold. I found him on Twitter and followed him then and there.



Next morning: game day!! Soooo excited. The second-to-none gorgeous and amazing @FlyersRule came to pick me up from the hotel, after having spent the previous day driving in from PHILADELPHIA. This girl doesn't mess around. She also came bearing gifts. So thoughtful. First time meeting in person, again, like old friends. This is going to be a recurring theme. She took
me to Old Montreal where we had lunch and girl talk, then took me to where I'd been dreaming of: the Bell Centre.


@FlyersRule played patient photographer as I had my picture taken from various angles with the

statues of the greats. I then dropped a gross amount of money at the
store. I had to have one of everything, including jerseys & foam fingers for my kids. It was like a CANDY STORE. But BETTER. @emihawk (sweet and perfect gentleman) met us there and went in to the store to have Kenny Dryden's name put on to his jersey. I practiced a little French with him, he practiced his English. @Anne_Laur joined us soon thereafter. She is the cutest thing you can imagine, and took the famous picture (famous? Why not) of me reaching up to kiss the giant poster of Markov in the Habs' store window. @guccipucciprada came too, all model-fabulous and excited for the Habs Hall of Fame tour. It's my one regret from the trip - I couldn't squeeze that in. I had to rush back to the hotel to get dressed and ready for the tweetup. Next time! And I'll do it right. I was so jealous when I saw all the pictures later on Facebook.

And then it was time - an hour or so before puck-drop we began to gather at Ye Olde Orchard for the Montreal @ Toronto game. The place was ridiculously jam-packed due to the Bon Jovi concert actually about to happen at the Bell Centre a few blocks away (our tweetup and the Bon Jovi contingent got a mention in the Montreal Gazette the following day, by the way). As soon as I was in the door, I spotted some Habs jerseys near the front. I

recognized sweetheart @Cathie_AK27 right away - and again, like an old friend after some of our Twitter chats. I was so excited to finally meet her! She introduced me to the vivacious and uber-friendly @MaryK_AK27, whom I hadn't yet met on Twitter but already recognized from the moment at the January Ottawa @ Montreal game, when she and Cathie got their closeup on CBC (and Cathie managed to turn to proudly show the camera that her

jersey bears Sergei Kostitsyn's name).

Among the other early arrivers was blogger and Habs fan extraordinaire @HendricksHockey, who also made the drive up from the States. Finally got to meet the adorable @EP31 too (who's so cute she inspires feelings of wanting to pop her into your pocket), and the famous @robertopanetta and his sweet wife @MeredithBedard.

The Bon Jovi riff-raff finally started vacating the premises to go to the concert, and we started filing into the back room to watch the REAL event. There were more than 50 of us there and I could hardly keep up with all the introductions, but I recognized the lovely @FlirtyJo, the sweet and amazing @IFC4 and @guyl4rj, the massively-muscled @mduchesneau, hilarious blogger @HabsLaughs, and another hilarious, genius blogger whom I'd been very remiss to not previously meet on Twitter, the inimitable,

fabulous @theactivestick.

Then, a little late but finally, my 'amigo del alma', the fantastic @kuyaz arrived. Exactly like he is on Twitter, he is friendly, engaging and awesome. Also brought me a gift. You guys. He even had a 'Veronica' tattoo on his forearm! Okay, so it's not because of me but because of a very important other Veronica, but still. Too cool.

Also finally arriving after expressing a 'maybe yes, maybe no' RSVP and I'm so glad he finally did, was the funny & sweet @theHabituals. His twitter avatar is of a 6-year old version of himself, but he's a little older than that in real life. @amanada11's buddy @michellesquared was another highlight introduction.

We watched the game in that packed room, and I can't tell you what a thrill it was, after years & years of being too far away from Montreal, to be somewhere where people were cheering and 'aaaawwww'ing right along with me to a Habs game, standing up to high-five all around with the Habs goals. Okay, so whatever, the Habs lost in a shootout to the crappy Leafs, but the Leafs were left out of the playoffs because they sucked so bad and we went on to almost make it to the Stanley Cup finals, so there.

I got about 2 hours of sleep that night but I just wanted to soak in my all-too-brief Montreal experience and was so happy to be with all these people I'd made friendships with on Twitter, and it is a weekend I'll never forget. Missing from the tweetup who I would have loved to meet were @beezee05, @yves_on_habs, @brirob9 and @smalrus. These guys are a staple on Twitter for all the Habs games & must-follows for Habs fans. And technically not a Habs fan but a hockey-blog wizard was sorely missed: @HockeyJoePHT.

I boarded a plane early that Sunday morning and it was over so fast. I hope to see everyone again sometime soon, be back in my beloved Montreal for much longer next time, and bring my mini-Habs fans in tow.

See you at the next #habstweetup! Until then, see you all on Twitter! #gohabsgo #isitOctoberyet <3

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